We are super pleased to announce that we will be releasing our brand new full length album at next week’s Concerts in the Plaza performance. It’s been a long time coming and we are super stoked to share new music with you all!

We want to give our thanks to the SLO Downtown Association for making live music the heartbeat of our community and for including us in this summer’s festivities. Also, our thanks go out to each and every one of you that we see at all our shows – you are what makes all our hard work worth it. See you next Friday SLO town.

The guys and I got a chance to play music for the youth in Carpinteria, Ca. I really love gigs like this – it’s so wonderful to see these small humans dancing with abandon. What a wonderful day!

]]>http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2014/03/25/kicks-preschool-carpinteria-ca/feed/0Mixing Down and Making Choiceshttp://www.thekicksreggae.com/2014/01/29/mixing-making-choices/
http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2014/01/29/mixing-making-choices/#respondWed, 29 Jan 2014 20:41:28 +0000http://thekicksreggae.com/?p=1115When it comes down to it, putting together a stellar album means making good choices… and when to leave something be. What are those choices? Levels, effects, instrumentation, and generally what combination of all the moving parts of a band will lend itself to the best version of a song (or as close as you can get it).

In the words of Fezzik from The Princess Bride, “I hope we win!”

]]>http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2014/01/29/mixing-making-choices/feed/0Back in the Studiohttp://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/12/16/the-kicks-back-in-the-studio/
http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/12/16/the-kicks-back-in-the-studio/#respondMon, 16 Dec 2013 08:10:30 +0000http://thekicksreggae.com/?p=1105tracking new songs with The Kicks for a release in the new year

]]>http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/12/16/the-kicks-back-in-the-studio/feed/0Help Reese make her new album!http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/09/29/help-reese-make-new-album/
http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/09/29/help-reese-make-new-album/#respondSun, 29 Sep 2013 09:19:47 +0000http://thekicksreggae.com/?p=1092As many of you know, Reese is also a jazz/folk musician. Her new solo project is currently in the works and she needs your help! Click below to get more details and hear a little of whats to come!

]]>http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/09/29/help-reese-make-new-album/feed/0Tales from The Frog and Peachhttp://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/05/06/tales-from-the-frog-and-peach/
http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/05/06/tales-from-the-frog-and-peach/#respondMon, 06 May 2013 22:52:52 +0000http://thekicksreggae.com/?p=1083

In honor of my birthday show this friday, May 10th at the Frog and Peach Pub in San Luis Obispo, I will now regale you with stories from our home bar.

#1: Pitcher Guy

For a good 2 months, the same man would show up to all of our shows drinking beer out of a pitcher. It didn’t matter if the bar we were playing in didn’t offer pitchers, it didn’t matter if it was an all ages show and alcohol was prohibited up at the state, pitcher guy lived up to his namesake, and on numerous occasions, was successful in encouraging me to partake of the pitcher whilst on stage. I don’t see pitcher guy anymore, but he will live forever in the stories that we tell late night on tour – “remember pitcher guy?” someone will say, and i’ll reply, “yeah, that guy was dedicated.”Pitcher guy asked me out on a few dates and told me he was a race car driver but alas, it was not meant to be. Where ever you are, Pitcher Guy, I hope you’re doing well.

Happy spring folks! The Kicks will be spending part of their Cinco de Mayo weekend providing entertainment for all the hard working triathletes at this year’s Wild Flower Triathlon at Lake San Antonio. We’ll be on the main stage on Saturday May 4 starting at 11am so stop by and say hi!

For those of you racing, good luck! We’re all rooting for you. For all of you spectators, we’ll meet you by the beer tent.

<3
reese

]]>http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2013/05/02/the-kicks-at-the-wildflower-triathlon/feed/0The Summer Rounduphttp://www.thekicksreggae.com/2012/08/23/the-summer-roundup/
http://www.thekicksreggae.com/2012/08/23/the-summer-roundup/#commentsThu, 23 Aug 2012 19:59:30 +0000http://thekicksreggae.com/?p=1003
Hello friends and family. I hope this message finds you all well and that you are enjoying your summer and getting to do all the things that summer brings. For us, we have had an amazing summer thus far highlighted with our debut performance at SLO Concerts in the Plaza. We were lucky to have the lovely and talented Raeme Kennedy (Resination, Lux, & Funk in Public) and Hillary Langdon (Tipsy Gypsies) join us onstage for some amazing collaborations. We were well received by the good people of SLO Town and look forward to many more appearances at this great event. We also were honored to participate in the Surfrider Foundation’s annual Stokefest. Big shout to Jennifer Blonder for putting on a amazing event and to the Kenny Family for providing an epic venue in See Canyon, CA.

We have been on a short hiatus as The Kicks family is growing. Congrats to Mikey J. and his lovely wife Amie on their newest addition, Novah Stone Jimenes, and to our keyboardist, Jimmy Gahan and his beautiful wife Rachelle, who have just welcomed into their lives baby James Gahan VI (yes the sixth!)!

We will be hitting the stage again soon with our debut performance on 8/24 at The Ranch in San Miguel, CA with special guests The Ragged Jubilee and Lil A. The roots reggae train then heads down to Santa Maria for their Summer Concert Series on 9/1 and back up to Santa Margarita, CA at this year’s Sunset Magazine Savor the Central Coast Event on 9/30. We hope to see you and your friends at these shows, so please help us spread the word.

We want to give a big shout out and congrats to our friends Klockwyze on the release of their debut album entitled, ‘California Smile.’ Nice work boys!

As summer begins to wind down, make the most of your time and get out do what you love; surf, hike, camp, BBQ, go see live music, and do what makes you happy! To quote Vaughn Benjamin of Midnite, “love the life you live, live the life you love.”

Ever since I started playing reggae music, something that I’ve always wanted to do was to take my music over to Hawai’i. From the people to the stunning vistas, visiting the islands has always inspired me to pour more of myself into my music and to be thankful for every day that is given to me. It reminded me of family and the sharing of stories in song.

This April, The Kicks get a chance to go to Oahu and Maui and share the music we’ve created and we cannot be more excited. We’ve hosted a few bands from the islands here in California over the years and are looking forward to sharing the stage with them in their home towns.

To our family friends and family thank you for all your continued support – if you’ll be over in the islands, come dance with us!

We’re still filling out our dates for the tour but we have our tickets booked and are counting the days!

Although it has been several fortnight since our last post, I assure you that we are still here and have been very busy. Recently, we synced up with our good friends, Cornerstone, for a long overdue roots reggae tag-team extravaganza at both SoHo and SLO Brew. Anyone who hasn’t heard much from Cornerstone needs to check out their new self-titled album ASAP. You’ll be glad you did.

Also in the headlines for The Kicks: our first full-length album, Break Free, has made it to Spotify! Thanks to all who are listening and spreading the music. We’re all on this too so drop us a line if you want to join in on our (often ridiculous) collaborative playlists.

We’ve also recently created our very own YouTube channel with cuts straight off of our album, Break Free. Search up ‘The Kicks Reggae’ and check the tunes and please let us know what you think!

With 2011 coming to an end, we have so many great memories to look back on thanks to you all – our friends and family who have supported us and more broadly, live music. Thank you. Please be on the lookout for new music and a more expansive tour schedule in 2012.